Vietnamese Maintain Identity Abroad

By Huu Ngoc

Dr Nguyen Khac Vien (1913-1997), holder of a Francophone Grand Prix bestowed by the French Academy, was the elder son of Nguyen Khac Niem, a Confucian scholar of great moral rectitude. When, in 1937, he left Sai Gon to study in France, his father went with him as far as the pier. There, his father handed him a letter, which was not to be opened until the ship had reached the high seas. It turned out to be instructions for Vien not to marry a ba Dam (French Westerner) in order to preserve his national identity.

Government Officials Pay Visit to Holy See

ROME — Viet Nam and the Vatican have agreed to increase contacts to promote mutual understanding, solve issues of mutual concern, and improve bilateral relations.

The agreement was reached during a visit to the Vatican from June 27 to July 3 by a delegation of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, led by Chairman Ngo Yen Thi. The visit was made at the invitation of the Holy See’s Relations with States.

Disabled Viet Kieu Aids Hydrocephalic Kids

HA NOI — Disabled Vietnamese-American engineer Do Van Du has financed the treatment of 320 poor children affected by hydrocephalus or fluid on the brain.

Born in Hue, Du lost an arm and a leg in an accident when he was 14. But he won a scholarship to study information technology at Washington University in 1971. For the past four years he has collected medical equipment for hospitals in Viet Nam.He has also organized the swapping of experience and technology between US and Vietnamese physicians.

Its Secrets Revealed, Water Puppetry Retains Its Charm

By Huu Ngoc

Viet Nam’s water puppetry has captivated audiences around the world, but it may lose some of its charm and relevance when performed in Paris, New York, Stockholm, Tokyo and other major metropolises that lack the natural surroundings.

In Age of Globalization, Culture More Important Than Ever

By Dieu Ngoc

Vietnam Festival Open in Washington D.C.

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Vietnam Festival

Vietnamese Traditional Artists to Showcase Their Work in America

HA NOI — Nguyen Van Thuan was surprised to hear he had been selected for a trip to the US to introduce the traditional art of to he to Americans.

"Firstly I didn’t believe it was true. I never thought my to he could get me as far as the U.S.," said 59-year-old Thuan.

Thuan will make small dolls out of rice dough at a culture fair titled Vietnam Festival in the US this weekend. The fair is being held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relation between the two countries.

US Religious Official Visits Central Highland Province

President of the US's Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) Chris Seiple on Tuesday visited the Central Highland province of Gia Lai on June 28 to inquire into the religious atmosphere there.

Seiple later said the visit brought him “fresh information” on the religious situation in the Central Highlands in general that the international community and international organizations have yet to obtain.

He also said that his trip to Gia Lai will help improve the relationship between Vietnam and other countries, particularly between Vietnam and the US.

Insurance Market Opens Up to Foreign Competitors

HCM CITY — Last week’s licensing of two American insurance companies is a strong sign of the Vietnamese Government’s intention to open up its fledgling insurance market, according to an official from the finance ministry.

With the addition of the two companies, New York Life and ACE, the total number of American life insurance outlets doing business in Viet Nam now stands at three.

Foreign Companies Get the Nod to Set Up Subsidiaries

HA NOI — Foreign-invested enterprises, already allowed to convert to joint stock companies, will shortly be able to reorganize under the parent-subsidiary model, under a plan approved in principle by the Prime Minister.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) will begin working this week with relevant offices on regulations that would govern a foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) organization as a parent company.

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